May I ask a Toyota transmission question please??

An automatic transmission has internal clutches and bands that are immersed in the automatic transmission fluid (ATF). As the friction material on the clutches wear, it is carried by the ATF and tends to settle in tight passages and at the bottom of the transmission fluid pan as a sludge-like goo. A power flush could dislodge the goo from where it has settled and get it stuck in a tight orifice and cause shifting problems. If the transmission has been flushed routinely, then the goo doesn't have a chance to accumulate, but if there is a chance that there is a goo accumulation, a simple drain and refill is a safer course of action.

If you look at the owner's manual, the automaker doesn't even list a transmission flush in the recommended maintenance interval, just a drain and refill.

Reply to
Ray O
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Oh and Ray,

The > >> If the ATF is original, I would not have the transmission fluid flushed.

Reply to
slakka

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A happy holiday to you too!

Reply to
Ray O

The pan must be dropped -cleaned and filter replaced at proper intervals, flushing is bull shit, it can introduce contaminents where there were none. Plus you have no idea how good the flush unit is.

Reply to
m Ransley

Thanks for the detailed explanation Ray O. After I read your response, it came back to me what the other guy had stated during a conversation that I had with him a while back. It makes sense. I think the best bet for owners of vehicles with automatic transmissions is to change the ATF every 30,000 miles max.

Reply to
Ron M.

You're welcome!

Reply to
Ray O

I have a 96 Toyota Camry V-6 wagon with automatic transmission, 146,000 miles. It was my parents', meticulously maintained by a Toyota dealership. In the last year, I have had to repair rack and pinion leak and now have a big transmission fluid leak from O-rings on front of transmission. I am going to replace all seals and gaskets on the front of transmission while I'm at it (e.g., seal around pump), but repair person proposed rebuilding entire transmission at same time as proactive repair while the transmission is out. Friction material from clutch wear is evident in pan (do I have that right) although I don't think anything alarming. I need to get another 50,000+ miles out of this car, but rebuilding transmission would double the price of this repair, to about $2300. Is this a wise preventive measure, totally unnecessary, or am I just better off gambling that it will be ok for a long time to come? I need to make this decision by tomorrow morning so please advise. I do not see much on the web to suggest that 96 Camrys have a history of transmission problems.

Thanks, Jane

Ray O wrote:

Reply to
gunnjl

You only have a leak and do not find anything sluggish with your transmission right? then just replace the seals, filter and use new oil. Friction material is common when they open it up. Just tell them to clean it off.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Reply to
EdV

Thanks. That's what I was thinking, but my experience is limited.

EdV wrote:

Reply to
gunnjl

It is difficult to estimate the remaining life on a transmission, but an additional 50,000 miles would put the original transmission at 200,000 miles. Depending on how the vehicle has been driven, that may be at the end of its useful life without a rebuild. Find out what kind of warranty you get for the $2,300 and how much a remanufactured transmission is. If the warranty is decent and if whoever is doing the work is competent, then you should be able to easily get another 150,000 miles after the rebuild.

Reply to
Ray O

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